Leafs vs Canadiens: What We Learned From Saturday’s Preseason Clash

The Toronto Maple Leafs fell short in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, losing 4-2 in a game that offered plenty of insights ahead of the October 8 season opener.

Montreal got goals from Lane Hutson, Alex Newhook, Riley Kidney, and Sean Farrell, while John Tavares and William Nylander scored for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz took a hit during the game — which made a few people a tad nervous — but was fine and made 15 saves on 18 shots before prospect Artur Akhtyamov took over in the third period.

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Tavares A Standout, Looks Good Again

Even in a quiet team effort, John Tavares was a standout. The Leafs captain scored and consistently generated chances for his linemates, showing he remains a driving force at 35 years old. Tavares’ chemistry with Nylander and newcomer Matias Maccelli could form a key second line for Toronto.

There was a somewhat concerning moment when Tavares and Nylander ran into each other near the Maple Leafs bench. Nylander seemed to take the worst of it, but was OK.

New Line Combinations Still Jelling

A new trio of Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, and Maccelli showed flashes but lacked cohesion. Joshua noted it was a first outing together, with room to build timing and trust before the regular season. “We would have liked to have some more offensive zone time for sure,” Joshua said after the game. “But like you said, first game out there, just getting a feel for each other. Maybe a second or two late here and there, but that’s what the preseason is for, and we’ll sharpen up and be ready to go.”

To show just how new to the Leafs Joshua is and evidence that it might take some time to get up to speed, Mike Johnson of TSN reported, “Dakota Joshua didn’t even know where the Maple Leafs’ locker room was. The security had to ask if he was on the team.” Having never been in the room before, he’s still getting acquainted with being a part of the Maple Leafs.

Head coach Craig Berube hinted that the Joshua-Roy-Maccelli line would get another run during Thursday’s preseason game.

Stolarz Fine After Taking Hit

Anthony Stolarz was in for the Maple Leafs, playing the first two periods. “It felt good,” he said. “Obviously preseason is all about getting your reps in, getting familiar with the D again. Thought my puck touches were really good tonight, and the guys did a really good job of communicating with me. So just getting back on the same page was really nice.”

Toronto’s special teams were exposed, and there was a moment where Stolarz got run by Laval Rocket star Laurent Dauphin. Those were the drawbacks, but the good news was that there was no reason to panic, especially given that Joseph Woll is out. “It’s something you kinda get used to,” Stolarz noted of the hit. “As a goalie, you know how to brace yourself and what to expect. So, he’s just driving the net trying to make a hard play. He runs into me, and we get a power play out of it.”

Berube said, “It’s always a risky play. The whole preseason, you’re always worried about something happening to somebody, right?” He added, “But he was good. He was fine, and he was moving well tonight in net.”

Elliotte Friedman reports, “Mentioned it last night during MON/TOR broadcast, but hearing Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are moving towards an extension When done, expect it to be in the approximately $4M-range.”

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